More Rolling

After a doing few job at home I got down to ground about 10-00'ish  the first job was to repair the top radiator hose on the tractor while the roller was warming up. Last week the radiator hose got a hole in it.  I thinking I would be able to get some sort of car hose that I could make fit I soon discovered that it was not as simple as that so I bought a Hose Repair Kit and some Radweld from Halfords.

Tools for job all  ready to go.

Job done radiator  topped up radweld included.

Leave engine running on tick over for 10 minutes and the jobs a good'un. while I was doing this job, which took not much longer that ten minutes, I had put the fan heater under the engine cover to heat up the roller to make it easier to crank -I am getting old and hand cranking can be very hard work.

Electric fan heater in place under engine housing warming the oil up.

I don't intend to show you any more picture for the time being of the roller just to say I did 4 hours of rolling and it was cold.

When I finished -got fed up of- rolling I got the Mastiff out and mowed the outfield. The grass is growing quite well at the moment and has the fresh green spring look about it. That reminds me tomorrow 20th March is the Vernal -Spring Equinox -equal length day to night.

Many local Cricket Clubs get contractors in to gang mow their outfields but I believe that the presentation you get from using the Mastiff is worth the effort. I am still awaiting the delivery of the machines I sent off to be serviced they should be back by Wednesday I was told when I chased them up today.

That's enough photo's for now. Tomorrow I would like to do some more rolling then get to work on the net area behind the scorebox. I saw the weather forecast this evening and I think it should be another fine day.



Just about Finised Toilets

Today I have just about finished my work in the gents toilets -thank goodness.

Below are a couple of picture just to show I haven't been wasting my time.

I have just a few fitting to fix, toilet roll holders, door handles and the like, I am pleased that the job is done it has been a bit of a marathon.

Ha this is better. When I had finished tidying up the loo, I got the Mastiff out and cut the square diagonally in one direction. I then got the roller out and had a session rolling.

You can see the area I had rolled at this point the lighter area to the right of the roller.

How many photos of grass and a roller should I show?

Well one more. As I was rolling the sky was getting very dark so I made the executive decision to take the roller off before I got a good soaking. As I was doing so a few rather large spots of rain started to fall, it then lightened and thundered. Started to hail and before I got the Animal -that's what we call the roller- back into the shed a very bright flash of lightening occurred, followed immediately by a clap of thunder so load that it made me jump despite having ear defenders on with radio five live playing.

And yes I did get wet -the joys of spring rolling.

Flown By

This week has flown by, Monday I was at STRI, Tuesday and Wednesday working on the club toilets, Thursday painting with my artists friends and today a few odd jobs and more work in the toilets. Which means I haven't done any work on the field. 

This is how daft things are at small local cricket clubs while I was working in the toilets as a volunteer I was paying Ben to roll the square.

Ill never be rich

Wait till he gets the iPlayer set up, no ear defenders, supplied but not used.
You can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink! .

Sorting the tunes.

No doughnuts on the square please Ben!

I took this out of my dining room window just to wind Anne -my wife up- the squirrel stealing the peanuts. Well it served me right because when I showed it to her she said that I needed to fix the bird table. Another job -just what I needed.

And I want no comments about the state of the lawn, Anne looks after it.

I am quite pleased -well very pleased- with the grass cover this spring.

Here are a few boring photos of it may be you can just see that the fertiliser and iron are just kicking in, as for the first time in a while the square is greener than the outfield.

This afternoon Friday I went off to Pudsey St Lawrence to have a look at some work they want doing. I actually did my self out of some work by giving them the confidence to do the job themselves. They have asked me to quote them for there Autumn square renovation work, in the past I have supplied materials and scarified and they have sorted the rest. I cant believe it is only March and I have already got four clubs booked in for Autumn renovation work -not a ball has been bowled yet this season. Nothing like having a full order book.

I am hoping to get some ground work done tomorrow, would like to also work on Sunday, my Mother in Law is coming to stay for a day or two -at least I hope its for a day or two you never know.

Keep Rolling and wish me luck with my Mother in Law.

Hodgy

Started Rolling

On a beautiful Sunday I fired my roller up and rolled around five hours, across the square. I took my camera but the battery was flat so I only managed to get a couple of photos before it went completely.

The roller had not been started since last September so I greased round and topped up the oil -I should really change it- and got it fired up.

Tip- if you have an old crank start diesel -as ours is- put a fan heater so it blows on the engine in such a position as it can warm up the oil in the engine -which is thick when cold- this will have the effect of thinning it and making starting much easier. 

Second photo before my battery ran out.

Monday I spent on a visit to the STRI grass seed trials at Bingley. I found it both educational and interesting did my colleagues . I didn't get any photos I am which is a shame as the trial bed are all visually very different. We also got a tour of the labs where chemical and physical soil tests are carried out. Well worth the effort and  a big thank you to my seed supplier Jo from Harrell's and the STRI.

Talking of seed trials these are mine I have shown you them on a previous post. I feel sure you can read the labels- they look better when you enlarge the pictures- all sown on the 15th Feb photos taken today the 6th March.

These are the other pots I have been growing you have seen them on a few occasions before however this time I have taken them out of the out pot which shows the root coming out of the bottom of both pots. the first is Cachemire/Carnac/Sauvignon and the second is Colosseum you need to look very close and you will see the length of root on both samples. it is also still very noticeable how Colosseum is out growing the other mix.

Today I have been working away in the gents toilets again I will be pleased when they are finished. 

Spring Like

I went down to Pool this morning and brushed square with a "rake brush" fixed to back of tractor. The idea was to lift the grass to present it better for mowing and to tease out  bits of rubbish from the base -you could call it a light spring raking. Clive the groundsman there then followed on with the mower I brush twice and Clive mowed twice at right angles. He has since informed me that they had started rolling later in the day.

Sorry I forgot to take any photos.

On returning to Kirkstall I finished off the mowing of the outfield from when I was rained off yesterday. I then ran the mower over the square again and went on to cut the grass net area using the Mastiff instead of the rotary that I have been using till now, apart from the obvious mowing, the weight of the Mastiff pushes the soil down giving it a light roll.  

There was just enough daylight left to treat the square with liquid iron and seaweed I us the Acuspray walkover spray unit it is miles better than any Knapsack sprayer.

 

Here are the two products I use, thinking I will need to order some more as I am getting low. I try to treat the square in this way about every six weeks or so I don't always include the liquid iron though.

 

This is the net area

 It was half past six and dark when I set off home but it had been a beautiful spring like day, one which makes me think how lucky I am to be a Groundsman.

I am looking forward to getting the roller out tomorrow I have just had an email from Boycey (Kieth Boyce Ex Headingley groundsman) and he told me that he is well into his rolling program and wants some fertiliser for when he finishes the job one day next week. 

You can only spring roll when the conditions are right don't miss the window.

 

 

Getting Busy

Things are getting busy now especially as I have taken the extra work of the toilets on, I have my art exhibition coming up and getting the ground ready for the season. Hence no posts for a few days. Wednesday was the day my fertiliser was delivered so I made some deliveries and some guys came and collected theirs.

Part of the fertiliser in the container two more pallets to go in yet.

One delivery I had to make was up to Nidderdale I don't make much -if any- profit on it but it is a very nice ride out in some beautiful country side -I love it. Here you can see the "Golf Balls" at Menwith Hill.

From the same spot you can also see a wind turbine farm. Thursday was a day of varnishing some of my paintings and sorting out others to be mounted.

After making a few deliveries I still had some daylight left to apply some fertiliser to my square. I used 11-5-5 Spring and Summer and applied one bag to my square which is around half recommended rate I don't want too lush growth just yet we may still have some frost.

The next three photos are of different grass seeds I sowed in Boughton County Loam on the 15th Feb and the photos were taken on Wednesday the 7th March. Below each photo I will give a brief description.

I have enlarged these picture so you can better see the results.

100% Straight Colosseum from Harrell's, decent germination.

100% Straight Top Gun from Hurrell's

 -it is an American Dwarf Rye that I am having a look at, it is not listed by the STRI but I think it has potential, so I want to see what it is like before I decided whether or not to include it in a mix.  

Good germination.

This is Johnson's (DLF) iSeed.

 Now this is interesting almost no germination has taken place. It is my theory that because the seed is treated with a coating of fertiliser it takes longer for the seed to absorb the moisture thereby delaying germination by a few days.



Wednesday night I was back at Cleckheaton C C to listen to Dr. Ian James of Cranfield University deliver his talk on Aeration of Cricket Squares. The full report is out in around two months and will be published on the ECB web-site so I wont bore you with details now, it was both interesting and educational.
Thank you Ian.

Today I got the old Mastiff out and cut the square in two directions and was aiming to get the outfield cut until the rain came and put an end to proceedings after I had cut from just one side of the square to the outfield. so I went home and got some invoices entered and printed off -note to me I must keep up to invoicing or I run out of cash!

Tomorrow I am off down to Pool C C to brush/rake the square in a hope to lift the laterals so we can get a good clean cut.

No Posts

Sorry that there have been no posts since Saturday I have been busy working inside the club house on a Sh.t project!....... Yes I have been trying to upgrade or toilets with a very meagre budget. I don't intend to show a load of photos of the loos but below is just one by way of evidence.

I have been boarding up and painting, the board behind Ross still needs a coat.

Looking better already and the treasurer will be very please I haven't spent a penny so far.

Just to keep you all assured the ground is still looking OK, it is a little on the wet side to start rolling especially at the bottom end so I don't feel too bad at working inside.

Tomorrow I think that some rain is forecast -we'll see- I am taking delivery of my first order of fertiliser then it is a matter of getting it out to my customers busy day in prospect.